Freedom within

Today's readings: 1 Kings 19, 16.19-21; Galatians 5, 1.13-18; Luke 9, 51-62.

French philosopher Maurice Blondel, who sought to address, among other issues, the gap between Catholic thought and modern philosophy, highlighted the need of a healthy and incurable discomfort with the world, which makes us realise that we are never what we truly want to be.

To recognise one's fundamental lack of fulfilment involves a change of perspective in life. At times we do all we can, as if we had only ourselves to depend on. Yet we often run into an incurable incompleteness in our yearning. Christian living demands of us to stop living on the surface. There is a most profound drama of the interior life that cannot be ignored.

This is the main issue addressed in today's readings. There is no doubt that there are specific requirements for discipleship, for following Jesus. These requirements may not be well presented but surely they need revisiting.

In an age when so many people are in search of experiences that basically give meaning to their existence and are meaningful in themselves, the dispute is probably more about the singer than the song.

We need to refocus on what Christianity is really about rather than pointing fingers and accusing the present generation as one afraid of commitment.

It is very significant that in today's Gospel, Luke puts together three encounters Jesus had with three different people negotiating their call when he himself "resolutely took the road for Jerusalem". Discipleship knows no compromise and never counts the cost. It is mainly through compromises that we lose focus and become enslaved.

Jesus is the Son of Man speaking to man, not to Christians or believers. In Jesus there is the key, the meaning of our humanity as such. It is coming to terms with our humanity that makes us aware of the perpetual sense of self-dissatisfaction, because our best desires are never fully realised in what we do. The Lord's first and basic call is to let go. This gives freedom within and makes it possible for the Lord to speak to our hearts and for us to listen.

Elijah's symbolic gesture in the first reading of throwing his cloak over Elisha may represent for us one of those many instances in life that demand of us to be still and grasp the true meaning of events. The calling for Elisha comes when he is all taken up with his work. It was when "he rose and followed Elijah and became his servant" that his entire existence changed.

Our passion today as preachers and as Church in general should be, rather than dictating the rules of the game, to invite people to reflect on the possibility of God as a reality hidden in all they do. Many people know the rules of the game but have never experienced playing. We may 'know' what our belief is about, but that does not necessarily lead to experiencing God as meaningful.

We often accuse our age of having a pick-and-choose mentality where religion and faith are concerned. It is not that there is nothing wrong with the pick-and-choose attitude, but exploring the realm of belief today necessitates respecting the times and the way our frame of mind is being moulded by the way we live.

Unless we discover true freedom within, we will remain stuck in misconceptions of what morality and God Himself is about.

Today's readings provide the right framework and attitude to enter this debate. The more we are bound externally by laws and traditions, the more our calling will be perceived as impinging on our liberties. But the more we deepen our interior bonding with the Lord, the more we experience what Christian commitment is truly about and what it entails. Only if and when we face the 'incurable discomfort' with the world and with ourselves can we succeed in asking the right question about life and attain an inkling of the right faith map for life as it is.